He remembers the first time he saw her. She arrived bringing death. He remembers the limp body being thrown upon the table. That she had been ill used was plain to see That the Queen was unhappy with it no harder to see. Her captors had provided that evenings gruesome sport.
She has never spoken. Even when the Queen's impatience had been pushed to the limit. Battered and bleeding the small vacant eyed girl had not made even the softest whimper. She has never shown a sign of life.Except once.
He flushs with the memory of what had been done to her. Shame fills him that he had been one of the ones to hold her down. He had been watching her face when the healer had pierced the thin fold of skin. Her mouth had opened in a silent scream. The eyes had flared into life, only to fade moments later. By the time a metal worker had placed the ring, she had vanished within again. A golden ring gleaming in soft curls and a smear of dark blood on a white thigh was all that remained after.
Tonight is the first time in a moon that he has seen her. Shock rippls through him at the sight of her thin, pale, moving like a ghost through the hall. She had sat still and silent upon the cushions. The jewelled collar glinting coldly in the torch light. Chains rattling only when touched by others. The chains had never been needed to hold her.
Strangers, that is why she was been brought out. They pay her no heed at least at first. But he notices the fist the second one clenches reflectively. The strangers leave. The Queen grows bored with tormenting the unresponsive girl and turns her attention to a dancer.
It is night now and finally silent. Even the dancer's screams have faded to silence. He paces to the darkened hall. She lays forgotten. He goes to fetch a blanket to throw over her. A spark catches his eye. Movement in the darkness. He withdraws.
"Oh my sister, what have they done to you." It is the second one. He watches as the fragile one is lifted and carried tenderly away. Should he stop them? No. He knows that he won't. He follows. The rescuer so intent that she never even senses him.
The frist awaits with the horses. They wrap her in a soft cloak. He watches from the shadows as she is placed in front of a rider who holds her with the upmost gentleness. They turn and quietly urge their horses toward the approaching dawn.
He returns to the hall. No one is awake. The hall is truly empty now. Walking to the fire pit in the center of the room he pokes at it till sparks flare and glow. Smiling he builds it into a roaring fire. Torch in hand he walks he edge of the hall. In his wake fire eats the tapestries and dry wood.
Chaos reigns now. The Queen screams in fury. Why had they left her pet within the hall? He smiles and walks to the stable. His horse is spooked at the scent of smoke. He walks it safely away. All attention on the inferno he leaves behind.
He hears the roof collapse as he mounts the horse. Turning toward the east he rides hard. He wants to find them. He needs to see her safe and away. His heart weary at the debt he owes.......
